Light Grey Iceland Residency 2018: Team Eldur
August 8th - August 13th, 2018.

The Light Grey Iceland Residency Program: Team Eldur includes a diverse team of storyboard artists, illustrators, animators, industrial designers, photographers and creatives from around the globe. Team Eldur residents hail from the United States, Canada, Singapore, Beirut, and Russia. 

Team Eldur (Team Fire) will be traveling through Northern Iceland, visiting an active and ever-changing landscape of geothermal pools, boiling mud pots, steaming vents, rocky beaches, and hidden lookouts. Artists will have an opportunity to sketch, hike, and explore the landscape and gather in the evenings for creative workshops and discussions. 

Read more about our 2018 artists-in-residence teams below:

TEAM ELDUR: Angela Bardakjian, Barry Eckhaus, Blake Kathryn Thomas, Brittany Inglese, Brynn Metheney, Daniella Rosu-Ortiz, Darius Cheong Chau Hong, Dave Murray, Grace Duong, Jenessa Warren, Madeline Faye Potter, Monica Davila, Nina Vakueva, and Rogelio Oswaldo Perez Romero.

Angela Bardakjian
Beirut, Lebanon
angelabardakjian.myportfolio.com
 

Angela Bardakjian is an Armenian Designer and Art Director. After completing her graphic design studies at Notre Dame University, she moved to Barcelona to study at Atelier School of Visual Arts and Design, where she had the opportunity to work and present her projects at OFFF Design Festival in front of 3000 attendees.

She has been recognized by Adobe as a creative to follow. Her work got exhibited in multiple cities such as Barcelona for MWC15, London as part of Secret7s exhibition and Dubai. She has worked for clients such as  Jameson Whiskey, Swatch, Mobile World Congress, Mitte Barcelona and more. She also got to design type collection for Notegraphy.

SunStone the open title that she got to Art Direct as part of Atelier and Lorem Ipsum Team Won multiple awards such as SXSW 2016 Excellence in Title Design and Laus Bronze Award in 2014. She is currently living in Beirut and traveling the world.

Monica Davila
Los Angeles, CA
theartofmonicadavila.tumblr.com

Monica Davila is a storyboard artist and illustrator based in Los Angeles, California. A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), she began her career as a character layout apprentice at Paramount Animation before moving to Nickelodeon Animation as a storyboard artist. She has also worked at Disney Television Animation and is currently storyboarding at DreamWorks Television Animation. She recently finished illustrating a Big Golden Book for Random House, due for release in 2018. Whenever she’s not at her cintiq, you can find her hiking, baking cookies, or chasing after any corgi she sees out on a walk.

"I can't wait to explore and paint around Iceland with some amazing artists - Team Eldur for the win!"

Brittany Inglese
Monroe, New York
brittanyinglese.com

Brittany Inglese is a New York-based illustrator and lettering artist. She earned her BFA in illustration from the The New Hampshire Institute of Art. Her work is largely inspired by pop culture and has been acknowledged by The Society of Illustrators as well as 3 x 3. She works primarily digitally using precise, colorful designs on projects ranging from editorial to children's books, greeting cards, and motion graphics. On the weekend you’ll find Britta watching romantic comedies, planning her next trip, being anxious, and pretending she can cook really well.

"As an avid traveler I've always wanted to see Iceland! I can't wait to connect with other artists, to learn from their experiences, and to be inspired by them in combination with the surrounding landscapes."

Dave Murray
Ontario, Ontario, Canada
davemurrayillustration.com

Dave Murray is a Toronto-based illustrator, multi-discipline artist, and coffee drinker.  When he's not in his studio, Dave can be found playing hockey, walking his dog, and cheering for the Montréal Canadiens.

"I'm looking forward to the very specific, peculiar, and inspirational atmosphere that comes from a gathering of creative folks."

Grace Duong
Los Angeles, CA
graceduong.com

Grace Duong is a multidisciplinary designer & artist based in Los Angeles. Her experience derives from working in advertising and startups creating branding, visual design, social, and more. She has also taught Visual Design at General Assembly and teaches workshops around the city. Fueled by creating with purpose, she is constantly working on her own projects, the latest being Mystic Mondays - Tarot for the Modern Mystic which raised $10K over the funding goal, accompanied by an app which is available in the app store. In her own time, she writes, explores new places, hangs with familiar faces, and drinks an absurd amount of coffee. She is constantly curious and  inspired by the world around her and always has a new idea or two up her sleeve.

"Learning and growing from shared and individual experiences! By exploring the unknown, becoming more and more of who I am."

Madeline Faye Potter
Howe, TX
instagram.com/madelinefayep

Madeline Potter is a photographer at Madeline Faye Photography and she focuses in portraits and travel photography. Madeline is mainly based out of North Texas but tends to live a slightly nomadic lifestyle as she often travels between NYC and Europe. Graduating with a BFA in Visual Arts from Texas Woman's University in 2015, Madeline has now backpacked and become an au pair throughout Europe and is currently focusing on building her photography business. Her Fine Art work has been placed in exhibits around the U.S, including an online gallery annex under juror Amy Arbus.  Additionally, Madeline’s portrait work tends to stylistically lean towards Editorial, Photojournalistic, and Fine Art influences. She mainly focuses on digital photography but also enjoys shooting film and videography.

"To be inspired not only by fellow artists of different backgrounds but also by a new landscape and environment and the discoveries that come with all new things.

Jenessa Warren
Los Angeles, CA
jenessawarren.tumblr.com

Jenessa is a storyboard artist, cartoonist and illustrator based in Los Angeles.  Originally from Reno, NV, she moved to California Institute of the Arts and graduated with a BFA in Character Animation in 2011.  Jenessa currently works at Walt Disney Television Animation. Her past projects include programs for Futurama, Fox, Titmouse, and James Franco.  While not working on productions, Jenessa makes comics, writes stories and finds inspiration in the travel, the outdoors and other people.

"I am looking forward to being inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Iceland and learning from diverse and talented artists!"

Nina Vakueva
Moscow, Russia
lilithword.com

Nina a self-taught freelance artist born and based in Moscow. She graduated from Moscow Architectural University in 2014, worked in architectural bureau for two weeks, but then moved on to comics and character design. Within the first few years, Nina worked in a Russian comic studio, Bubble. Currently, she is busy drawing from home, traveling and exploring new places, and also working on her webcomic Lilith's Word. She loves listening to eerie paranormal stories, reading manga and watching detective series. Survives by drinking ridiculously huge amount of coffee and doing some yoga.

Daniella Rosu-Ortiz
Burbank, CA
drosuo.com

Daniella is a former Industrial Designer and self-taught Visual Development Artist from Mexico City. Growing up she fell in love with animation and was eager to be a part of that amazing world from a very early age! She started her career after deciding to follow her childhood dream, quitting her full-time job to apply to the Nick Artist Program. Despite her disbelief she made it to the end and was picked to design backgrounds for the upcoming Hey Arnold movie.

She's currently a part of the amazing crew for CN's OKKO Let's be heroes! where she spends everyday doing what she loves the most: drawing.

"I'm really looking forward to the community aspect of the trip! Getting to know like-minded and talented artists from diverse areas and cultures. I'm passionate about people's stories, they not only push me to keep growing but are also a great source of inspiration for art. On top of that, Iceland sounds like the perfect place to push boundaries, relax and unwind surrounded by fresh air and magic scenery."

Blake Kathryn Thomas
Los Angeles, CA
blakekathryn.com

Blake Kathryn is a Los Angeles-based artist wielding a palette of pastels and neons. Her work touches upon themes of nostalgia, states of consciousness and vices, iterated into dreamlike compositions.

"I can't wait to break from a habitual workflow and become fully immersed in a foreign terrain with like-minded individuals. To explore during the long days and retire to open discussions on other's processes in the twilight hours sounds like the dreamiest escape."

Barry Eckhaus
Avon, CO
barryeckhaus.com

Barry Eckhaus lives and works in Vail, Colorado. A videographer by trade, in his free time he focuses his creative efforts on visual arts. His passions span photography and multi-media, with a focus on Colorado landscapes, medical and surgical applications, scientific research, travel and more. Eckhaus is inspired by Colorado’s always-surprising environment and people that are attracted to his home state. Digital and visual storytelling is a focus.

"Exploring a new area with other creative professionals."

Darius Cheong Chau Hong
Singapore
dariusdraws.com

Darius is currently working as a concept designer for a theme park design company based in sunny island Singapore. When he is not working, He enjoys doodling nonsensical stuff in the comfort of his well, watching movies, collecting art books and traveling. Some of his past projects include Discover Channel Magazine and Universal Studios Singapore.

"I'm looking forward to meeting and learning from everyone in Iceland!"

Rogelio Oswaldo Perez Romero
Los Angeles, CA
designbywally.carbonmade.com

Oswaldo Perez, a.k.a. "Wally", is a graphic designer from Mexico City who is passionate about illustration, animation and a little bit of exercise. He studied graphic design as a means to get closer to the animation world, since at that time the animation career in Mexico was practically non existent.

After finishing his studies in graphic design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Azcapotzalco, one of his good friends told him about Animaturas, an animation Diploma that was just about to get started. This was a watershed decision because there, he met his lovely wife-to-be Dany and they shared the dream of coming to LA to work in the animation industry. Currently, he is working on that.

Legend says you can see him biking around Burbank every now and then, haha.

Brynn Metheney
Long Beach, CA
brynnart.com

Brynn specializes in creature design and visual development for film, games and publishing. Her clients include EuropaCorp, Disney Publishing, Warner Brothers, Dark Horse Comics, Wizards of the Coast, Tor books and more. Brynn also teaches creature design at The Concept Design Academy in Pasadena and The Animation Workshop is Viborg, Denmark. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

"I’m most looking forward to observing the unique and dynamic landscape of northern Iceland and how any of the local flora and fauna have carved out survival in such a place."